In recent years, for example, an around view monitor has been put into practice. With the around view monitor, an automobile is provided with multiple cameras of which field angles are overlapping, and the images (videos) obtained from the multiple cameras are processed in composite processing, so that the driver may parallel park the automobile or park the automobile in the garage while the driver checks all around the automobile.
In other words, for example, a drawing apparatus has been put into practice. With the drawing apparatus, actual images obtained by multiple input apparatuses such as cameras are projected onto a three-dimensional projection surface which is deemed to be the ground, so that the drawing apparatus simulates a video as if the ground is seen from above.
Such a drawing apparatus (a generation apparatus of a composite image) is not limited to the around view monitor (multi-angle around view monitor) provided in the automobile. For example, the drawing apparatus may also be provided in trains, ships, aircrafts, or buildings, or may be applied to monitor cameras, home electric appliances, toys, or the like.
In the present specification, an around view monitor having four cameras provided at the front, the rear, the left, and the right of an automobile will be explained as an example of a drawing apparatus. But, as described above, the present embodiment may be applied to various kinds of fields or objects, and the number of cameras is not limited to four.
The composite image (drawn image) is not limited to an image overlooking from a high position (overhead view image). Alternatively, for example, it is to be understood that the composite image (drawn image) may be a bird's eye view image diagonally overlooking from the sky and a frog's eye view image looking up from below, or an image on which various kinds of composite processing is performed.
As described above, for example, various suggestions have been presented as drawing techniques for obtaining drawn images by processing multiple image data captured by multiple cameras. However, for example, when a drawn image (for example, an overhead view image) is simulated by processing multiple image data, for example, complicated processing is performed to, e.g., select image data obtained by a predetermined camera on the basis of a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate in order to obtain a high image-quality simulation result.
Alternatively, since multiple image data obtained with multiple cameras are selected on the basis of, e.g., the attachment positions of the cameras, there is a problem in that it is difficult to obtain a high image-quality simulation result (drawing data (drawn image)) sufficiently achieving the characteristics of each camera (lens).
Incidentally, in the past, various suggestions have been presented as drawing techniques for generating drawn images by processing multiple image data captured by multiple cameras.
Patent Document 1: International Publication Pamphlet No. WO2011/036892